For more than 100 years, Pennsylvanians have relied on Penn State Extension for up-to-date information and new ways to solve individual and community problems. Extension programs are funded cooperatively by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and state and county governments.

4-H membership is open to all youth between the ages of 5 and 18 without regard to ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or place of residence.

Volunteers must obtain written permission from parents before transporting 4-H members or other youth in personal or commercial vehicles to any activity or event, including club field trips and activities and county, regional, or state activities. In addition, written parental permission is required for all volunteers anytime they are transporting youth including to and from regular club or group meetings and activities.

It is the responsibility of the Extension Educator to see that the all programs and events are adequately supervised, chaperoned and appropriate standards followed. The following are minimum standards.

Volunteers are invaluable resources to The Pennsylvania State University and Penn State Extension. Volunteers are defined as members of the team who give time and expertise without receiving or expecting monetary pay. They do this to support the mission of the organization, to help others, and to reach personal goals that include educational opportunities. To ensure the safety of youth and to provides a positive learning experience for your, volunteers are expected to abide by the volunteer code of conduct.

As a 4-H Volunteer, it is important that you understand what will be provided in the way of assistance from the extension staff and also what is expected of you as a volunteer. The following outlines information in an agreement that you may be asked to sign if you decide to volunteer—and we hope you do!

This role description is intended to help make your job as an organization leader easier. An organization leader is responsible for coordinating and managing a local 4-H club so that it functions smoothly. She/he works with and through others to help club members achieve goals and accomplish tasks. The more the club members, teen leaders, adult leaders, and others in the community get involved in different phases of the club's program, the stronger and more satisfying the experience will be.

We're glad your child is involved in 4-H and we would like to invite you and your family to become a 4-H family. You, your child, and the rest of your family will learn and have fun in the 4-H program. Boys and girls who have the interest and support of their families have a special
4-H experience.

Good meetings take place in a warm friendly atmosphere. Good meetings let members become involved and express their ideas. Business sessions need to be conducted efficiently. The successful program has a variety of activities that are educational and fun.

A key to a successful 4-H meeting is planning. Identifying what will be included at the meeting and who will be responsible for each part of the meeting is very important. Officers, a planning committee, or teen leaders could assist with developing a meeting agenda and recruiting different people to carry out the various tasks.

New volunteers must feel they are contributing to the community and the organization. Various opportunities for volunteers that will help make them feel useful and give them a sense of accomplishment are listed here. From your experience, you may be able to add to this list.

For the purposes of these guidelines, social media is defined as accessible online networks and communities designed to allow users to easily interact and share information. Examples include but are not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr, Tumblr, blogs, etc.